The Merchant Tavern - St. John's most highly anticipated new restaurant - has finally opened its doors at 291 Water Street. Founded by "The Jeremies" - Jeremy Charles and Jeremy Bonia of Raymonds - "The Merchant Tavern pays homage to hard-working people who appreciate fine fare and spirits." Casual dining, simple food, great cocktails. I sat down with some of the crew to chat all three.

Picture yourself at work, you’re sitting at your desk, and a tiny red flag pops up in your Facebook notifications. You click through only to find that it’s a message from Newfoundland and Labrador Tourism telling you that you’ve just won a whale adventure.

Best known for its late 70′s inception as Stanley’s Steamer, the Bella Vista has been in operation for over 55 years and has been the site of various functions and events. It has grown through many stages to become the well-know and loved Bella Vista and Stanley’ Pub we have today. I stopped by to take a look at their beautiful event space and hear a little of the history behind one of St. John's oldest venues.

Quidi Vidi is an award winning micro-brewery that sits nestled right at the mouth of the Gut. Established in 1996, they are known for producing world-class beers - their British IPA took home the gold at the 2012 World Beer Championships in Chicago. Offering daily tours and tastings to the public, I arrived just in time to belly up to the bar and take a peek behind the scenes of everyone's favourite local brewery.

It's easy to lose an entire morning exploring the bounty of beauty on display at the Quidi Vidi Village Plantation, and when you leave, you just might be ready for wee scoff. Lucky for you, Quidi Vidi is home to St. John's newest dining experiences in one of our oldest buildings - Mallard Cottage.

Just minutes from downtown St. John's is the picturesque village of Quidi Vidi, a destination within a destination. The old fishing stages, slipways, narrow laneways, and a small harbour known as the Gut, all add to its charm. It is a hint of rural Newfoundland within the city limits. You can explore the Gut by boat or by foot, and there are numerous food, beverage and artisan experiences to be had. Join us as we spend the day taking in the Quidi Vidi Village experience. First stop - The Quidi Vidi Plantation.

You could say Dee Jay Charters knows a thing or two about adventure on the water – this summer marks their 25th year sailing through the famous St. John’s Narrows. Whales, bergs, birds – they’ve seen it all, and today I hopped aboard to experience their unique brand of tour for myself.

The game of “golf” is about to change in Newfoundland and Labrador as Clovelly introduces the first FootGolf course east of New Brunswick! Curious? Read on and discover exactly how to navigate a golf course… with a soccer ball.

“What are we going to do with this decade?” – It’s the question Kelly Mansell and husband Mark, co-owners of Rocket Bakery & Fresh Food asked themselves on their 50th birthday and the question that spurred on the idea for Rocket. “We just closed our eyes and stepped off” she says, “neither of us had done anything like this before. We had clear ideas of what we wanted – high quality food, healthy options and a great atmosphere… maybe the chairs don’t match but there’s a feeling of community, of being at home.” When I sat down to chat food, community and how it all began, it became clear they have accomplished all that and more.

Nestled comfortably in the Heritage District of St. John's is Winterholme Heritage Inn & Spa. Built between 1905-1907 for Sir Marmaduke Winter, the house is bold and handsome and, at the time of its completion, was one of the most expensive private dwellings ever built in Newfoundland. In 1993 this magnificent property was restored to a single family home and today is a 4-star Heritage Inn with 8 well-appointed suites, an in-house spa service and a large main floor that is often used for special functions. I had the absolute pleasure of spending an evening is this expansive property that is an absolute must see for any self-respecting traveller.

Blue On Water is a restaurant, bar and boutique hotel located on Water Street, the oldest commercial street in North America. Much like the street itself, both façades have changed over time while the essence of the street and the business have remained the same. This year marks a decade in business for owners Jason and Leslie Brake and they’re ready to celebrate. They’ve been busy with renovations (think inviting copper tones), a highly anticipated addition to their kitchen team, and injecting additional doses of luxury into their 11-room boutique hotel. I recently stopped in for a taste, a tour and a chat.

Did you know that Canada’s Favourite Bar is right here in St. John’s, Newfoundland? Air Canada’s enRoute Magazine and Rickard’s Beer teamed up for the #SAYCHEERS campaign, a national search for the most loved bar in Canada. Bar patrons across the nation voted for the Top 100, supporting their favourite drinking establishments in each province and territory, and when it was all done, O’Reilly’s Irish Newfoundland Pub was #1 in Canada!

St. John’s is a local shoppers paradise! From spirits to crafts, jewelry to fine art, shopping local for Christmas is easy and affordable. Traveling to St. John’s and want to bring a piece of the island home to place under the Christmas tree? Destination St. John’s has you covered! From now until Christmas we will be running daily blogs that focus on shopping local for your holiday treats. Each blog will feature a different retailer, their most exciting products and why buying local is so important to them. Click the links below for more info!

Brunch. The word itself brings to mind lazy Sundays, fresh coffee and of course, food! From eggs benny to fish cakes, St. John’s has a plethora of local options to keep you full and satisfied. Read on for some of our favourite brunch locales in the capital.

For a province known for its wooden boats, quirky ways, and its slower pace of life, Newfoundland and Labrador has been ahead of the rest of the world in a lot of respects. Throughout its history (and even prehistory), the province has been a trend-setter and taste-maker. Because of our 30 minute time zone, we get a lot of firsts: the first sunrise in North America, the first New Year’s party every year, and we even get to see blockbuster movies before everyone else (if only 30 minutes earlier). But these are not the only ways we are ahead of the game. Newfoundland and Labrador has had a front-row seat to history, watching the world change – and then watching the rest of the world catch up!

Shipwrecks have longed captured the imagination of the public. Shipwreck stories, historic and fictional, contain many of the themes that draw interest: man vs. nature, courage, survival, tragedy, hope, life, and death. Newfoundland and Labrador, with 500 years of nautical history, has its fair share of shipwrecks – perhaps more so, given the amount of historic sea traffic, the province’s position in the north Atlantic Ocean, and the foggy and stormy weather. Indeed, some estimates place the number of shipwrecks off the coast of Newfoundland in excess of 10,000!

Tourists' beware! The Royal Newfoundland Constabulary (RNC) are on the lookout for traveller's in the St. John's area. If spotted, they could face arrest and up to 24 hours of activities in the capital city.

St. John's is a city perched on the edge of nature, surrounded by scenic beauty, dramatic coastlines and wildlife. I decided to grab my picnic blanket and basket and perch myself at some of our top destinations. Join me as I explore our colourful capital city:

One11 Chophouse is the latest addition to the burgeoning culinary scene in St. John’s. Occupying suite one hundred and eleven in the historic Murray Premises (hence the name), they specialize in in-house dry-aged top cuts of beef, Australian Wagyu, fresh oysters and seafood, and a top-notch wine list. I had the pleasure of joining Executive Chef Kenny Pittman and General Manager Grant Fowler for a taste of St. John’s newest premier Chophouse.